You’re used to Wonder Lake winters so, though you thought this one might have ended by now. In any case, since winter won't leave, it's still a good idea to make sure you’ve prepared your car. You’ve had the charging system and battery checked. Your cooling system is in good repair. Your tires have tread enough to make it safely through most snowstorms. But, do you have the essentials you’ll need for survival if your car breaks down anyway?

Preparing your car for winter is essential for residents of Wonder Lake. We know how cold it will get and all the snow that will likely fall during the winter. But, even though you’ve taken those prudent steps to prepare your car, that isn’t an iron-clad guarantee that something won’t go wrong leaving you stranded on the side of the road somewhere.

If your car does break down, it might have its ‘little’ problem in the middle of the afternoon in front of the Busy Bee on Barnard Mill Road where you can sit in a warm spot and drink coffee until help arrives. But, there’s no guarantee that it will break down in the middle of the afternoon. There’s also no guarantee that it will breakdown close to a Wonder Lake business that is open.

The unfortunate reality is that your car could just as likely break down on a barren road, miles from home and with no place warm to wait. You’ll wait for help if help is coming. This assumes your cell phone will have coverage and the battery has enough of a charge for you to call someone who will make arrangements to get you and your vehicle off that frigidly cold road.

The question is, ‘What will you need if unforeseen circumstances land you on a dark and barren road one night this winter?’ If that happens to you, there are a few things you’re going to want to have on hand. Here is a list of some of those things:

• A blanket – if the car isn’t running, you can’t count on it for heat (extra hats, coats, and gloves are a good idea, too)
• A flashlight – it’s nice if you can see on that dark night and you can also use the flashlight to flag down some help (but don’t shine the light in an oncoming driver’s eyes)
• Booster cables so you can jumpstart your car if the battery isn’t in as good of shape as you had thought
• A first aid kit and a scissors or pocket knife
• Water – dehydration will not improve your situation
• Some snacks – hopefully, you won’t be stuck out there so long that hunger is a serious concern but, if you’re really hungry, it could affect your mood and your judgment
• Road salt and/or kitty litter – these can help you gain some traction if your car is stuck
• A plug-in charger for your cell phone – hopefully, the car battery still has some juice, which means that you should try to keep your battery charged before taking to the road

It’s not a bad idea to put all these items into a bin of some kind and store them on the backseat (what if the trunk is frozen stuck).

Hopefully, your car won’t break down, near or far from your Wonder Lake home. And, hopefully, this winter will end sometime soon. But, if it doesn't, a survival kit can make the experience less stressful and more comfortable.